Firearm.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS C. CHADWICK AND GEORGE H. TANSLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS T0 COLTS PATENT FIRE ARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

FIREARM.

Patented Sept. a, 1918.

Application filed March'30, 1917. Serial No. 158,579.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS C. CHAD- WICK and GEORGE H. TANSLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of (Jon necticut, have invented a'new and useful Improvement in Firearms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic pistols in which energy is stored during the opening movement of the breechslide in a spring, the re-action of which is utilized for the return or closing movement of the breechslide.

The main object of the invention is to produce a firearm of this class which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction,

reliable and safe under all conditions of use.

Another object of the invention is to produce an automatic pistol especially adapted for target practice, in which the frame of the arm shall support the comparatively long barrel rigidly, and in which the grip of the pistol shall be formed to be securely "'36is. efficient, perfectly safe in use and not liable to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated an embodiment of the invention, v

Figure 1 is a left-hand side view of a central vertical section through the frame and the rear portion of the barrel with the breech closed and ready for firing; but

showing the breech-slide in a vertical section in a plane somewhat to the left side of its central axis, thereby exposing to view the re-aetion spring and its guide rod for storing the energy of therecoil on firing a shot, and showing the manner in which the two ends of the reaction spring are supported, the front end in the breech-bolt and the rear end by the butt piece of the grip or mainspring housing. The trigger and trig vger-bar are shown in a side view,

Fig. 2 is a left-hand side view of the upper portion of the frame of the pistol and of the breech-slide in the closed position, the rear port-ion of the breech-slide being shown in a section through the axis of the reaction spring and its guide rod. i

Fig. 3 is a left-hand side'view of the upper portion of the frame of the pistol with the side plate removed and with the breechslide in section in its open rear position.

Fig. 4 shows the breech-slide detached, in a longitudinal vertical section in the plane through the axis of the firing pin, in a bottom view and in a vertical transverse section through its rear portion, seen from the rear; Fig. 4 also shows in the longitudinal section and in the bottom view of the breech-slide the re-action spring stop in its place in the top of the recess of the slide; and shows a bottom view of the stop detached.

Fig. 5 shows the side plate detached, in a side View and in a top view.

Fig. 6 showsthe cartridge magazine in a top view, in a right-hand sideview and in a bottom view; and it also shows the magazine follower detached in a top viewand right-hand side view; and the follower button detached in a top view and end view.

Fig. 7 shows, on an increased scale, the trigger, trigger spring and trigger-bar and their locations in the frame. in a front view.

and in a partial left-hand side view; it also shows the trigger pivot pin, detached, the

forward portion ofthe trigger-bar detached; and a righthand side view and a front view of the upper portionof the trigger, detached.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The pistol represented in the drawing has four main parts, the frame 1, the barrel 2, the breech-slide 3, and the butt piece or mainspring housing 4.

The frame 1 has a strong upwardly projecting abutment at its front end for seating the rear portion of the barrel 2. as shown in Fig. 1, this seat and the portion of the barrel therein are of considerablelength and the barrel has an annular shoulder fitting against the front end of the frame, by means of which the barrel is rigidly supported in the frame, being fastened therein by screw threads or any other well known means. From the barrel seat rearward the top of the frame is lower and open, and is provided with external longitudinal grooves .in its sides, and the bottom of the breech-slide 3 has correspondinginternal-ribs, by which the breech-slide when placed from the rear upon the frame, is vertically confined-upon the same and guided thereon in its rearward and forward movements in opening and clos in the breech of the'barrel.

' 11 rear of'the barrel, the frame 1 extends downward and rearward forming the-grip of'the pistol, the hollow interior of the grip formin' the seat for the cartridge magazine 5, whic is inserted from below Into the seat and held therein by the pivoted magazine catch 6 which may be at will orced rearward to release the magazine for removal or for placing a magazine into the grip.

-In rear of'the magazine seat, the grip and the upper part of the frame are provided with a central recess in which the butt piece;

or mainspring housing 4, the hammer 7, the

sear 8 andthe sear spring 9 arelocated; the

- butt piece 4, thus forming the central rear per-end extending above the top of. the frame.

"locking screw 12', clearly shown in Fig. 4,

the breech-bolt is alsofprovided on its right side with a shell extractor 13 of usual 'construction. In rear of the breech-bolt, the

breech-slide 3 is. recessed fromjthe bottom upward for the reception of the top of the hammer and the upper end of the butt piece 4, the rear endof said recess beingclosed by an imperforate wall which fits upon the top of the frame 1, thus posltivelypreventing rearward escape of powder gases.

" As clearly shown in Fig. 4 in the cross 7 section and in'the bottom view of the breechslide, the re-action spring 14"aITd guide rod 15 are seated in the breech-bolt'in a vertical longitudinal plane somewhat to the left side of the central firin end of said spring14 .tus resting in the breech-bolt and holding'the same yleldingly pin, theforward forward, and the rear. end of the spring and of'its guide rodbeing supported by the uper end of the butt piece 4, see Figs. 1 andB.

he face of the butt piece 4 is provided with? a small recess for receiving and holding'the reduced rear end of the guide rod 15,'and the" guide rod carries a fixed collar 16 forwardof its reduced rear end, in the rear face the collar-16 has a shallow annular recess, while the rear end of the re-action spring '14 bears against the front face of the collar 16.

In the top of the recess in the breech-slide in rearof the breech-bolt, Ithe re-aetion spring stop '17 is located, this stop'l7 is shown detached in Fig. 4 and consists of a thin 'flat tempered piece of steel, its rear portion, wider than its forward portion, carries on-each side a partly circular projection 18; in .the side walls of the recess in the breech-slide similarl formed cuts 19 are '70 provided, see Fig. 4, roin these cuts 19 rear ward the breech-slide has on each side in its top an under-cut recess corresponding in height and width with. the rear portion of the re-action spring stop 17 so that thereaction spring stop 17.may be placed fromv below against thetop oft-he recess in the. breech'slide, its projections 18 passing up- .ward through the cuts 19, then the stop' may be pushed rearwardwith the projections 18 into the under-Tout recesses. By. this means, the rear end of the re-action spring stop 17 isfixed in the top, of the breech-slide, its narrow forward portion being left free, forms a spring extending forward just above the re-action spring 14and its guide. rod 15, but by its"tension in up;

, ward direction the forwardiarm of the" stop 17 is held raised soas notto interfere with the to of the buttfpiece 4 norwiththe rear 'end 0 the re-actionspring guide'rod 15, see Figs. 1 and -f In the forward free portion of the stop 17 a narrow longitudinal slot '20 is provided and a piston 21 is fitted in the top wall of the breech-slide above the recess, so that 'the larger lower portion. ofthe piston-21 fills a1 corresponding seat in'the top ofthe breechslide, and the smaller upper end projectssome distance above the top surface thereof, .see Figs. land 3..

The lowest end of the piston 21 is reduced in width being cut away on each side'to' form a'narrow fin fittin into the slot 20 in the spring stop 17. y this construction -the tension of the .spring' arm of the stop 17 yieldinglyholds the piston 21 withits top end projecting from the top of the -breechslide'3, see Figs. 1 and 3.

When t e reec -s ldm-itsrearmost position, as shown in Fig. 3', the re-action spring 14 and its guide'rod 15'are i'n their forward compressed-position in the brechbolt, see Fig. 3, the butt piece 4 holding them in that'position. If it is {desired to free the r'e-action spring from the butt piece pressureisexerted upon thetop of the pis- 21 and breech-slide 1 is slowlymoved orw'ard, then the front end of't he re-acti'on "pressure upon the-piston 21, will 'on the for-- ward moyement of the breech-slidetake hold of the guide rod 15," the front end ofthe stop lflentering into the annular recess in therolla'r of the guide rod,' and. thereby 125 hold guide rod andreeaction spring in their forward'compressed position in the breechbolt, -as'clearly shownin Fig. 2; this leaves-Q;

the top end of the butt piece 4 free.

. s ring St0p. 17 ,i being .forced down by the. 12 0 In the lower portion of thegrip in ro a1 of the magazine catch 6 a transverse pin 22 is fixed in the grip, and the lower end of the butt piece 4 has a semi-circular recess for engaging said pin, see Fig. '1, thus the lower end of the butt piece is downwardly and rearwardly supported in position by said transverse pin 22. The mainspring 23 seated in the butt piece, the upper end of the spring being connected by a strut with the hammer 7, tends to move the hammer upward, the lower end of the mainspring 23, pressing downward upon the end of its seat,

yieldingly holds the butt piece down upon the pin 22. Near its upper end the butt piece 4 has on its rear face a projecting rib fitting into a correspondinggroove inthe frame, and the tension of the re-action spring 14 exerted through the guide rod 15 against the face of the butt piece, as heretofore described, serves to hold said rib yieldingly' in engagement with the groove and thus to lock the butt piece vertically in the frame.

With the re-action spring and its guide rod confined as shown in. Fig. 2, upward pressure near its lower end and forward left side, from the hub the trigger extends upward and has a second circular portionwhich is seated 1n a corresponding upper recess in the frame, see Figs. 1, 3 and 7. The trigger pivot pin 25 carries on its left end an integral fiat circular washer or collar with two horizontal projections fitting into the correspondingly shaped left end of the seat of the trigger, so that with the trigger 24 and the trigger pivot pin 25 inserted into their seat in the frame from the left=side, the washer limits the lateral movement of the trigger pin 25, and supports the left side of the trigger and of its pivot pin in the frame.

The upper circular extension of the trigger has a circular transverse seat for the arbor on the front end of the trigger-bar 26, the trigger-bar being thereby pivotally con' nected with the trigger, to transmit the movementsof the trigger to the firing mechanism in rear of the grip, see Figs. 1, 3 and 7.

The inner right-hand end of the arbor of ,the trigger-bar 26 is flattened by the removal of a forward segment of the arbor and the right-hand side of the trigger hub and its pward extension carry a recess for the reception of the trigger spring 27, see

right-hand side view of the trigger in'Fig.

7 this spring 27 consists of a steel wire coiled several turns around the trigger pivot pin from which the forward end of said spring extends upward, its end resting against the front wall of the upper recess in the frame; the other, rear end of the spring,

extends upward and its end rests against the Hat front face of the arbor of the triggerbar. By this construction, the tension of the coiled trigger spring is exerted to hold the trigger-bar and through it the upward extension of the trigger in the rearmost position, and thus to hold the finger-piece of the trigger in "its forward inoperative 'positron.

Besides holding the trigger extension and the trigger-bar 26 in the rearmost position, .the rear arm of the spring, because its end presses againstthe flat front of the trigger-bar arbor at a point below the axis of said arbor, the spring tends also to yieldingly raise the rear end of the trigger-bar to its operative position; the spring thus serving to hold the trigger in its forward inoperative position while holding the trigger-bar in its operative rear position with its rear end raised.

To close the open seats of the trigger and of the trigger-bar in the left side of the frame, a side plate 28 shown detached in Fig. 5 and shown in its place on the frame in Fig. 2, is attached to the frame by its front end slanting forward and inward, fitting into an under-cut recess in the side of the frame, at the center the side plate 28 is fastened in its position on the frame by a screw.

In F ig. 1, the cartridge magazine 5 with several cartridges contained therein is represented as Seated in the grip of the pistol and in Fig. 6, the cartridge magazine is clearly shown detached as are also the follower and the follower button.

.The magazine 5 consists of the usual tubular holder in which the cartridges may be held one upon the other The rear portion of the top of each side of the magazine is turned inward, so that the turned in edges will overhang the head of the topmost cartridge in the magazine and thereby prevent the cartridges from escaping from the magazine unless they are successively pushed forward so as to escape from the overhanging edges in the usual manner. A follower and a follower spring in the magazine serve to press upward the cartridges therein and the right-hand side of the ma azine is slotted and a button, the inner end of the stem of which extends through the slot into the follower, serves to at will depress the follower so as to facilitate the loading of the cartridges into the magazine. I

When, as shown in Fig. 1. the cartridge magazine is in the grip with some cartridges therein, andafter firing the breech-bolt recoils, the topmost cartridge will be raisedby the follower so that'a' portion of its head will project from the magazine into the'path of the breech-bolt, on the ensuing forward movement of the breech-bolt under the tension of the reaction spring, the face of the breech-bolt will engage the upwardly pro jecting head of thetopmost cartridge in the magazine. and press the same forward from the magazine into the chamber of the barrel.

a As long as the head of the cartridge to be transferred to the barrel remains under thev overhanging edges of the sides of the mag- ,azine,- the head of the cartridge cannot rise while the forward movement of the breechbolt and cartridge forces the bullet upward into the barrel; this. steeply inclined'positionof the cartridge is apt to blockthe free forward movement ofthe cartridge and of the i breech-slide and to interfere with the smooth yieldingly clasp the body of the topmost car- 'cuts b which on each side a resilient'finger working of the pistol to overcome this drawback each side of the magazine has two 29 is ormed which is bent inward. so asto tridgea .The rear edge of these resilient fingers is inclining upward and forward, as clearly shownimFigs. -1 and 6,and when the head of the topmost cartridge during its transfer from the magazine to the chamber of'the barrel escapes from the overhanging edges of the sides, the sides of the head will strike 'theupwa'rdly inclined rear edges of theresilient fingers and, riding upon these edges; the head of the cartridge will be forced to rise untilthe cartridge assumes a horizontal position .in front of the breech- 40 b01t, fwhiehwill then readily push the'cartridg'ef' homeinto, the chamber of the barrel.

.- will he understood that several 'Of-Qthe" features of our improyements hereinfdescribedare notnecessari-ly combined 1n the .45

sanfei cons'tru'ction with one another,nor are they necessarlly employed 1n a firearm of T the ipa'rticular characterof that shown. Ob-

viously, also, various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made within the. scope of the inventlon. p k

We claim-asour-invention? x v 1. In afirearm, the combination .of a frame, 3

1 a barrel rigidly supported by the frame, the frame 0 en on-top in 'rear of the barrel, a.

I "piece li'mit s 'the rearward movement of the breech-slide and confines the same upon the .65-

fran e, a 'Ie-aCtiO1.1 SPring seated in the;

ing rearward to'and engagin the butt piece, and'operative means carrie in the breechslide for locking-said re-action spring and said guide rod in their compressed forward breech-bolt and carrying a guide .rod extend:

position in saidbreech-bolt, and for holding said guide rod disengaged from the. butt' piece for the removal of said'butt piece and for the releasev of the breech-slide for removal from the frame.

'2. In a firearnn'the combination of a frame, a barrel rigidly supported by the frame, the frame-open on top in rear-of the barrel, 3, breech-sllde mounted from the rear upon the frame and vertically locked to reciprocate thereon, and comprlsilig a breechbolt for opening and closing the barrel, and

having a'recess in rear of the breech-bolt, a butt piece i'emovably;mounted in the frame 'and projecting'ab'ove the top thereof into A said recess in the breech-slide, whereby said butt piece limits the rearward movement of the breech-slideand confines the same upon the frame, a re-action spring seated in the breech-bolt and carrying a guide rod extendin rearward to and en a' 'n the butt iece and a spring stop'and a piston carried in the breech-slide for lockings'aid re-action springand said guide rod in their compressed for- 'ward ,posltion in said breech-bolt, and for holiing said guide rod disengaged from the butt piece for the removal of-said butt piece and for the release of thebreech-slide for removal from the frame.

.' .3. In a firearm, the combination of a.

frame having. an upward extending ,front abutment and a downward extending grip,

--and-having an open top in rear of said abutment, a barrel rigidly supported 'by the frame in the abutment, a breech-slide mounte d from the rear upon the frame and vertically locked toreciprocate thereon, and

- comprising a breech-bolt for opening and closing .thebarrel, and having a recess in 'rear of the breech-bolt, a butt piece removably mounted in said frame and projecting above the top thereof into said recessin the" breech-slid 'whereby said butt piece limits the rearward movement of the. breech-slide and confines the same upgn the frame,- said butt piece provided-with a rib near its. upper portion and said frame having a groove to receive said 'rib, and a re-action spring seated in the breech-bolt .and extending rearward through said recess to the butt piece, whereby said re-action spring yield-' A ingly holds said butt piece vertically interlocked with the ,frame.

' '4. In a firearm, the. combination .of aframe having an upward extending front abutment and a downward extending grip,

and having; anfopen top in rear of said abutment, a barrel rigidly Supported by the framegin'the abutment, a breech-slidemounted from the rear-upo the frame and vertically locked to reciprocate thereon, and comprising a breech-bolt for opening and closing the barrel, and having a recess in I rear of the breech-bolt, a butt piece removably mounted in said frameand projecting above the top thereof into said recess in the breech-slide, whereby said butt piece limits and extending rearward through said recess to said butt piece, said guide rod engaging an opening in the face of said butt piece,

whereby said re-action spring and said guide rod yieldingly hold said butt piece vertically in engagement with the frame.

5. In a firearm, the combination of a frame having an upward extending front abutment and a downward extending grip, and having an open top in rear of said abutment, a barrel rigidly supported by the frame in the abutment, a breech-slide mounted from the rear upon the frame and vertically locked to reciprocate thereon, and comprising a breech-bolt for opening and closing the barrel and having a recess in rear of the breecholt, a butt piece removably mounted in said frame and projecting above the top thereof into said recess in the breech-' slide, a rib on said butt piece near its upper portion and a groove in said frame to receive said rib, a transverse pin fixed in the grip and the lower portion of said butt piece adapted to engage said transverse-pin, a reaction spring and a guide rod seated in the breech-bolt and extending rearward to em gage the butt piece, and a mainspring seated in said butt piece and yieldingly holding the lower end of said butt piece interlocked with said pin in the grip, whereby said butt piece limits the rearward movement of the breech-slide and confines the same upon the frame and whereby said butt piece may be disengaged from the frame and from said transverse pin for removal and for releasing the breech-slide for removal from the frame.

6. In a firearm, the frame having. a downward extending grip, a hammer and a sear mounted in the frame in rear of thegrip, a trigger pivotally mounted in front of the grip and a trigger-bar pivotally mounted in the trigger and connecting the trigger with the sear, a coiled trigger sprin mounted on the pivot pin ofthe trigger and in a recess in said trigger, the forward end of said spring bearing on the frame in-front of the trigger, the rear arm of said spring bearing against the trigger-bar below its axis, whereby said trigger spring holds the trigger in its inoperative forward position and holds said trigger-bar inits operative raised position.-

7. In a firearm, the frame having a downward extending grip, a hammer and a scar mounted in the frame in rear of the grip, a trigger pivotally mounted in front of the grip and a trigger-bar pivotally mounted in the trigger and connect-ing'the trigger with the sear, a coiledtrigger spring mounted on the pivot pin of the trigger and in a recess in'said trigger, the forward end of .said spring bearing on the frame in front of the trigger, the rear arm of said spring bearing against the trigger-bar below its axis, whereby said trigger spring holds the trigger in its inoperative forward position and holds said tr1gger-barin its operative raised position, and a side plate fastened to the side of the frame and confining said trigger, trigger-bar and trigger spring in the frame.

8. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a barrel rigidly supported by the frame, the frame having an open top in rear of the barrel, a breech-slide mounted from the rear upon the frame and vertically locked to reciprocate thereon, and comprising a breech-bolt for opening and closing the barrel, and having a recess in rear of the breech-bolt, a butt piece removably mounted in the-frame and projecting above the top thereof into said recess in the breech-slide, said butt piece having a rib engaging a groove in the frame, whereby said butt piece limits the rearward movement of the breechslidewandconfines the same upon the frame, a reaction spring seated in the breech-bolt and carrying aguide rod extending rearward through said recess to the butt piece, a stop mounted in the top of the recess in the breech-slide and carrying a piston to,

FRANCIS G. CHADWIGK. GEORGE H. TANSLEY.

In the presence of- C. J. EHBETS,

A. L. Umuon. 

